Getting the best animal medicines advice helps reduce anthelmintic resistance, improve health and performance, while saving costs

Progressive approaches to animal health and welfare, making informed decisions on the right treatments and medicines, will not only improve herd and flock health, but will also save costs and improve margins, explains a Lanarkshire beef and sheep health advisor.

A combination of a reluctance to change from tried and trusted methods, along with the mis-held belief that relying on the same treatment at the same time is always best practice, can result in time and money wasted.

This is particularly the case in terms of anthelmintics (wormers), essential for worm and parasite control in Scotland’s herds and flocks. Yet millions of pounds’ worth of wormers are not being used effectively, either given at too low a dose rate or incorrectly.

Under-dosing also speeds up the development of resistance, a growing problem with anthelmintics. Therefore faecal samples and faecal egg counts (FEC) play such a key role in bringing a science-led approach to parasite control.

“Farmers are aware of the use of anthelmintics and the cost implications, therefore are increasingly more willing to listen to advice. Targeting parasites more effectively, and only treating when necessary, will lead to cost savings,” explains Robert Harvie, animal health advisor with McCaskie Agriculture.

As an AMTRA Registered Animal Medicines Advisors (RAMA), Robert is fully trained and legally qualified to advise, prescribe and supply certain veterinary medicines, such as parasitic controls, wormers and vaccines.

Covering some 240 customers across Lanarkshire and the surrounding areas, Robert explains, “Things have started to change, with farmers looking to work more effectively and efficiently. FECs are a good example of this.

“Using the FECPAK diagnostic platform, we can take the sample out in the field, then send it to the depot to be processed. The test takes between six and 24 hours, and we can then identify which parasites we have on farm and target them more effectively,” he says.

This has paid dividends for one of Robert’s farmer customers, who had recently lost a sheep with a high worm burden, despite it having been treated using white wormer.

Roberts says, “We immediately did a FEC to find out what worms were present, then prescribed a different product, changing to a clear wormer. Afterwards, we did an efficacy test as a comparison, to be completely sure the wormer was now effective.”

As the McCaskie Group is part of the Downland UK wide network of independently owned agricultural retailers, Robert has access to the shared knowledge and expertise across a wide range of animal health and nutritional products.

Ongoing CPD through regulatory body AMTRA (Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority) also means he has access to latest developments, ensuring his advice is current and relevant to the challenges farmers are facing.

“As qualified RAMAs, we work with farmers to put health plans together for farm assurance, taking care of animal health plans, often working closely alongside vets looking after the antibiotic side of things,” he explains.

Throughout the year, Robert will discuss and advise on various treatments, across species.

“Each farm has its own unique set of circumstances. One of the biggest problems I find is lice in cattle, so it is getting the right treatment at the right time to combat this. With sheep it is really varied with so many different sheep systems,” he says.

“Fluke can be a bit of an issue within my area, but farmers are really listening to advice given now so are targeting the fluke at the correct time, along with the correct product.

“The biggest challenge is getting some farmers to open up to new ways of thinking. A lot have used the same product, at the same time, for the past 40 years and it is trying to break that cycle, using the different tools now available to us,” adds Robert.

“If we can encourage farmers to do more FECs, weigh and record performance, and listen to our advice more, we can help them save costs and improve performance. Even missing one treatment a year out also really helps slow the resistance of the product down, meaning it can be used for a lot more years to come.”